Emerald Dresses and Piano Songs
by paigenumber
Summary: It's been three years since the battle of Hogwarts and Astoria is now eighteen and Draco twenty. They never got along during their time at Hogwarts, but will the emerald dresses and piano music change that?
1. Chapter 1

_**Draco/ Astoria. Most likely a one-shot. Comment if you want it not to be a one-shot. **_

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Astoria Greengrass spun in front of the mirror a few times, trying to see if she'd look presentable in her mother's eyes. It always seemed as if Astoria had one idea and her mother had the complete opposite. Her family was hosting a Christmas get together and her mother wanted her to preform the piano or violin for them, even sing, perhaps. "You have talent, so why hide it?" Her mother was fond of saying to her daughter but Astoria knew her mother just wanted to show off. That's all Astoria felt like she was sometimes, a shiny toy for her mother to flaunt at these get togethers. Letting out another sigh, she smoothed out the skirt of the beautiful emerald green dress she was wearing. The vibrant colour of the garment brought out her eyes of the same colour and complimented her long, deep chestnut coloured hair. With one last spin, she tried to walk as gracefully as possible from her room and down to the piano, where she began playing a beautiful melody she'd composed. Halfway through the song, white blonde hair and grey eyes caught her attention amongst the guests watching her and made familiarity shoot through her. Draco Malfoy. The Draco Malfoy. The same Draco Malfoy who she hadn't seen since she'd been fifteen. He'd changed, that was for sure, grown up. The simple grey suit he was wearing brought out his grey eyes and that unique blonde hair of his. Astoria could see her sister, Daphne, flirting shamelessly with him and with an exasperated shake of her head, she returned her attention to the piano and moving her fingers across the keys gracefully. Or well, she was trying to forget him at least. The thing that annoyed Astoria was, they'd hardly talked. Yes, talked. Usually, they'd spent hours yelling at each other from across the common room and had received insult after insult from him. Daphne had of course egged him on and that had caused a rift between the sister's that had still not completely healed. Of course, her father had joked that Astoria would need to do the healing as that was the career she was currently chasing. So, while Astoria hit the books and excelled in her healer training, her sister shamelessly flirted with every man who walked through their manors door and it sickened Astoria that Daphne would degrade herself for a man! With another shake of her head, Astoria returned to playing, emptying her mind of everything but the notes on the discoloured sheet music.

Once Astoria had finished playing a few more songs, she stood up and took a small bow, her eyes scanning over the mass of people and eagerly seeking a waiter. The only reason Astoria was even at the party tonight was basically because her mother had bribed her with her favourite bubbly, pink champagne. Catching sight of a waiter, Astoria gathered the soft, silk skirts of her dress in her hands and tried to move unnoticed amongst the guests to the waiter before she lost sight of him. To her immense displeasure, everyone seemed to want to flaunt over the girl. Commenting on how beautiful she'd become and oh-so talented. The attention she was getting actually made Astoria want to vomit. She had always hated the way people talked to her, as if she was an imbecile who couldn't uphold a proper conversation. To her mother's annoyance, all the attention had always caused Astoria to feel sickly and when she started to feel light headed, Astoria grabbed onto the closest person she could, trying desperately to stay up right. The person she'd grabbed on to took one look at her pale face and their arm slipped around her waist, holding her tightly against them as they led her away from the crowd of people. "Keep your eyes closed, just keep them closed. That usually helps." A rough, husky voice whispered into her ear, their warm breath tickled the sensitive flesh there and caused shivers to erupt all over her body, as well as goosebumps. Slowly, Astoria let her eyes close and the man lead her away, his hold on her tight and comforting as her head spun dangerously fast, making her feel nauseous and sickly.

The only thing that notified Astoria that the man had taken her outside, was the fact that she could feel the cold air caressing her over heated body and she was surrounded by silence. Never in her life had Astoria thought that she'd feel absolute relief in hearing nothing. Silence. But for once in her life, she found the silence like a cool balm being rubbed into a fresh burn. Gently, the man helped her onto one of the tree swings her father had constructed for her and her sister when they were young. Astoria still came out there regularly and the happy memories that surrounded the familiar, large, oak tree comforted her. "Astoria...look at me." The man urged, his warm breath a startling contrast to the cold air that had been exploring her face only seconds before. His hand came up to tenderly cup her cheek, his thumb rubbing soft circles on the warm flesh there. Slowly, Astoria let her eyes flicker open and take in the sight before her. Draco Malfoy stared back at her, his grey eyes filled with concern and another emotion Astoria couldn't place. A small smile flickered it's way onto his face and he didn't move his hand from her cheek.

They sat in silence for a few moments, just letting the delicate snowflakes dance around them in the soothing wind, occasionally falling on the couple and causing Astoria to shiver. As if waking up from a daze, Draco's eyes widened and he shook his head, as if clearing jumbled thoughts from his head. Quickly, he moved back and shrugged out of his jacket and carefully laid it around her shoulders, the whole time his eyes never leaving hers. The way he looked at her, made her warm all over, as if she was the most interesting thing in the world to him, as if she was something he'd never seen before. "How're you feeling?" He asked carefully, his hand gently rubbing a snowflake from her cheek, where it'd already melted. "A bit better..." She said softly, her voice shaking the tiniest bit, from, what? She didn't really know exactly, but she couldn't help herself from asking. "In there...thank you.." After a brief pause, Astoria continued. "You seemed to be the only one who noticed that I was about to be sick all over my mother's shiny floors...wouldn't that have ruined the party?" Draco chuckled slightly and tugged the front of his jacked closed around her small form as the wind picked up slightly. "Of course I was the only one who noticed. I was the only one who saw you, the real you Astoria." Opening her mouth to say something, all words died on her lips and her mind began whirling, all trying to fill in the unexplained holes of what he'd told her.

And to make matters worse, he leaned in and kissed her.

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_**Not sure if it should be continued or just a one shot. Comment opinions please :) **_


	2. Chapter 2

Everything that had been running through her mind at that exact moment, all the emotions that she couldn't seem to be able to name, vanished instantly as his lips met hers. Astoria stopped thinking. Stopped doubting and questioning every single thing that went on in that moment and she kissed him back . Well...after she got over the initial shock. And who could blame her for being shocked? Draco Malfoy, a pampered, troubled rich boy had basically told her he FANCIED her! He fancied her. Not her desperate sister. Not even all of the girls that his mother seemed to have an endless supply of. Astoria didn't even know what had happened to Piginston (Parkinson). Clearly, she'd never liked the cruel, bitch of a girl.

Everything seemed to be perfect. The stars sparkled like crushed diamonds that had been thrown over a beautiful piece of black cloth, diamonds on the top of her beloved baby-grand piano. A gentle wind blew around them, picking up small strands of her hair and allowing them to join in on the breathtaking dance that Mother Nature coordinated oh so easily. The breeze was gentle, but cold, and his jacket around her frame made her feel comforted, safe.

The kiss was amazing.

Astoria had been kissed and by that she meant some boy- well more than one- had cornered her under the mistletoe and basically forced themselves on her. Of course they hadn't been able to walk properly for the next week or so after, due to the very sensitive spot her knee had struck. One had even cornered her by her piano, the bastard had even used the sleek, beautifully cared for top of the baby grand as a coaster. Astoria had gone off her nut and acted appropriately- in her opinion, not her mothers. She'd seized the champagne off the nearest waiter and dumped the whole of the contents over the asshole. Long story short, Astoria's father had had to escort her upstairs and up to her music room- well out of ear shot of her mother- before congratulating his daughter. He always seemed proud of how she stood up for herself and the things she believed in, instead of acting like Daphne.

Anyhow, Draco was kissing her ever so carefully, as if she was the rarest and most precious thing on the planet at that period of time. Hell, he was making her feel like she WAS the rarest and most beautiful thing ob the planet at that moment. That pure thought made her cringe. Astoria hated when people said that she sounded like her horribly superficial sister.

Draco's hands were large and rough, yet so gentle on her cold cheek at exactly the same time. Begrudgingly she acknowledged that everywhere he touched sent a rush of fire through her veins. She was even kissing him back, letting her lips move against his, matching the intensity to a tea.

And then she started to think again. He was kissing her. But why was he doing that? So that he could gloat about it later? Flaunt his latest conquest? Claim that both the Greengrass girl's were his whores? All these thoughts were like repetitive slaps in the face to Astoria, who jerked away as quickly as possible.

Draco gaped at her for a moment, obviously not comprehending the thought that a girl had jerked away from HIM.

"Wha...Astoria? D-did I do something wrong?" His question, the look in his eyes, the way he was holding himself, made her freeze. Draco Malfoy looked insecure. Like a young child who had always been comfortable with their mother to have her leave them with a babysitter.

Astoria quickly shook her head and stood up, carefully dislodging her feet from the deep snow around the swing. "No, you didn't. Actually, you did. You snogged me. What gave you the right to think you could just do that?" Ouch. That was kinda harsh and definitely under the belt. She raised a delicately shaped eyebrow at him, her hands moving to rest on her hips.

Draco actually looked taken back. Most likely because when he usually snogged a girl, she'd eagerly rip of her clothes while Astoria was having a go at him.

"I-I thought-"

Astoria stopped him. "That's it exactly. You didn't think. Not about my feelings. I do not fancy you, Malfoy. We were friends once, but now, I barely know you."

She turned quickly on her heel to leave, going for an awesome, dramatic entrance, but he gently grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"That's it Astoria. I want you to know me. When you look at me, I don't feel like you're only sizing me up for my money. Or judging me because of my actions during the war."

One of his hands rubbed the spot on his arm that she knew used to have the dark mark engraved into the flesh there. Sympathy shot through her and in response, Astoria opened her mouth to say something, but he stopped her.

"I'm sorry for kissing you, Tori. I really am. Just, let me take you out. Buy you a coffee. Get to know you. Please?"

She huffed slightly, pushed her hair from her eyes, a few strands dotted with little snow flakes, and shook her head. "The answers no, Malfoy."

With that, Astoria started trudging through the snow and back up to the manor. The nerve of some men. He just flaunted that he could possibly fancy her so easily. But a tiny part of her couldn't help but hope, that maybe, just maybe, he did feel something real towards her. Something genuine.

Just as she was about to slip in through the back door and go straight up to her room, Draco said something that stopped her in her tracks.

"I'll take you to a show. A music show. I know how much you love music. And there's this great shop I know."

A slow smile spread across her face. One date wouldn't hurt, right? And it wouldn't even be a date. Just friends catching up.

Finally, without turning around she said. "Okay. One day. It isnt even a date. Just a couple friends catching up. Okay? So meet me here, tomorrow night. At eight o'clock." And then, with a swirl of emerald green skirts and pure white snow, Astoria Greengrass was gone.


End file.
